Why you should view with suspicion any list of best or worst places to work

Yet another report on where you do or don’t want to work is making the rounds today. From 24/7WallStreet.com, it purports to list America’s worst workplaces. Before clicking on the link below you must promise to read the rest of this post first. “Best” and “worst” workplace lists should be viewed with suspicion. Companies that learn they are in the running for a best list push employees to send endorsements. It skews the data, and not reliably. Some employees tend to play along because they really do feel they work in a great place, but many are eager to please the boss, and many want to be able to brag if their workplace wins. Reports of worst workplaces should be viewed with equal suspicion. Such are more likely to draw feedback from a disproportionate number of employees with a gripe and be overlooked by happy ones.

Another problem with “best” and “worst” workplace lists is that they allow for no shades of gray. Some places are great in some respects and awful in others.

Nor do such surveys account for bad employees whose employer’s real offense was not putting up with poor performance. Speak with any employee or vendor who did a great job for me and you’ll learn that the RESPONSE Agency is a great place to work. Speak with any whom I disciplined or fired and you’ll get a different answer.

That said, if you really want to read 24/7WallStreet.com’s list of alleged worst places to work, click here.